The Orange Blade
by Maninthefoxmask
Summary: After his bell test Naruto stumbles into The Red Blade, a weapon shop ran by an older man who offers to train him in the ways of the sword. Taking up this new weapon Naruto will become The Orange Blade.
1. Chapter 1- Beginning

The Orange Blade

The Land of Fire was known far and wide as having forests lusher than any other. It made one wonder why they weren't called the Land of Trees.

However this was no ordinary land, as it was one of five great nations containing a large ninja village. Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves. Green forest gave way suddenly to a large metropolis spanning miles. The city was nestled against a large mountainside which had four monolithic faces carved into it.

A large tan wall surrounded the city, giving credence to the fact it was a military establishment. No armies resided within however. This was a village of Ninja, killers trained in arts that blurred the lines between real and fantasy. The most powerful could call upon mighty fireballs and dragons of pure water, to name a few abilities.

The bustle of daily life within looked akin to that which you would find in any regular village. A closer examination revealed this was not the case. There were 3 entrances to Konoha, all of which consisted of massive wood doors operated from above by gatekeepers.

The gates to the east and west were smaller in size, functioning more as side entrances. The middle entrance was at least twice the size of its brethren. This was the main gate, staffed at one time by no less than 5 ninja. Powerful warriors that could bend the elements to their whim, trained in hand to hand combat with deadly results.

Two Chunin level ninja flanked the gates large doors at all times, with two more far above the gate acting as lookouts. Their commander was a Jonin, part of the elite force of the village. He personally oversaw the opening and closing of the gate.

All manner of traffic passed through the main entrance, from merchants selling finished goods and much needed raw materials like iron to the villages own forces moving out on missions. The lowest rank of ninja, Genin, was often led by their Jonin sensei on missions for the wellbeing of the village. At set intervals, Konoha's shadowy force known as the ANBU black ops patrolled the walls.

This day in particular was a busy one for the village, as their newest batch of Genin recruits fresh out of the academy had met with their Jonin instructors today. Whether they passed and became full-fledged ninja, or failed and returned to the academy, was yet to be determined.

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Spiky blonde hair careened like a stray missile without a course through the market of the village. He wore a bright orange jumpsuit accented with a white fluffy collar with bright blue shoulders. Upon his forehead he proudly displayed a metal plated stitched over a blue headband. This plate contained a single simple, vaguely resembling a leaf. To his right thigh he had strapped a rectangular box containing kunai, a ninja's common weapon of choice.

A ring for a pommel continued into a bandaged handle for added grip when throwing or clashing in melee combat. The blade was slightly triangular in shape, beginning thick and tapering down to a sharp point. All made of a toughened steel designed to hold and edge and fly true.

On his lower back tied to his waistband was a pouch containing various items. Scrolls and rations were found here, a short reach away, as well as shuriken. These were a ninja's preferred method of ranged attack when stealth or surprise was desired. They were a simple four pronged star shape with a hole in the center, made of slighter light steel than a kunai. One well aimed toss could riddle an enemy with several of the projectiles quickly.

As the young man ran through the streets he whooped and yelled in celebration, for today he had met his sensei for the first time. Much to his displeasure after having passed the Genin exam with dubious results (He hadn't technically passed at all, rather he received his headband from a kindly teacher after a vicious fight) his new sensei had informed he and his team that they would have to take his own test, and pass, or be sent packing.

After a prolonged and somewhat lackluster fight, they had lost. Luckily the whole purpose was to force them to work as a team, and indeed they had. Eventually.

"Get out of here you orange brat! I haven't forgotten what you did to my shop you little punk!" A shopkeeper brandished a broom at the boy as he passed by on his celebratory run home. He turned to face the man after passing him and evading his broom and stuck his tongue out at the man.

"Nyyeeeeh! Not my fault you decided your crappy store was too good for me!" Of course running straight ahead while looking behind you wasn't a good way to avoid incident, but this young man seemed full of "incident."

Distracted by his quarry the golden haired boy never saw the man pulling a cart filled to the brim with cabbages trekking through the street. On a collision course straight with him. Needless to say he crashed into the cart immediately, shattering it with his body and causing it to tip over as the owner gazed in horror.

Cabbages were strewn everywhere as the boy saw star, and the carts owner saw red. He fell to his knees and exclaimed to the heavens above, "My cabbages! Whhhhy!"

The infuriated owner grabbed hold of the perpetrators coat and chastised him gently. As gentle as a fist to the head could be anyway. "Naruto you insolent little- gah! Looks what you've done to my precious cabbages! How do you think you'll repay me hmmm!?" The cart owner could visualize the boy harvesting his crops in the heat while he kicked back easily.

Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and did his best to ease the man's pain. "Sorry cabbage man, I didn't see you there!" He deftly escaped the mans grip and rain full speed away, further down the street. "I don't really have a way to repay you though, and I got to go! Bye!" Dust was kicked up in his wake.

The cart owner pursued to the best of his ability but after rounding a corner in pursuit the boy had disappeared. With a wail and some choice words he returned fuming to his cart…only to find his overturned cabbages were being attacked by stray birds. His cries of pain could be heard for miles.

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Naruto breathed heavily as he hid inside of a shop on the street he had lost the man on. After rounding the corner he had swiftly entered the closest shop he could. 'I may get a yelling at from this shopkeeper, but at least that cabbage guy is gone,' he mused. The shop was filled with rows of sharp and lethal looking weapons, the sign outside confirmed the contents if Naruto had bothered to look where he was planning to hide.

A red sword hung from the awning of the building with 'Red Blade' written in flowing black script. It was very obviously a weapons shop. Naruto gazed around longingly at all the shop tools he knew he couldn't afford. Shopkeepers loved charging him a premium for anything they could, which led to the pranks he would be driven out of their stores for.

A harsh cough was heard from the counter directly in front of him and he gulped in response. 'I've never been in here before, but this guy looks tough…' Naruto thought fearfully.

The man was rather tall, close to 6"2 by the young boys eyes. He had long white hair he kept held back with a red ribbon. His eyes were blue however, almost a shade as bright as Narutos own but darker. He wore an eye patch over his left eye made of black leather. His chest was bare save for some bandages wrapping around his midriff, and on top of that he wore a black sleeveless coat which was lined with red on the inner side, ending with tatters like it had been repeatedly cut. Simple black shinobi style pants and sandals completed his outfit.

He drummed his fingers on his counter as he eyed Naruto with seemingly not a care as to the boys intrusion. "Care to explain what you're doing in my shop boy?" His voice seemed to echo in Narutos ears, a strange rough voice he would have expected from an older man.

Naruto sweat profusely at the sword within easy range of the man, in a black scabbard. "I didn't mean any trouble old ma- err sir. Hehe. I was just um…looking to buy a kunai?" Even to Naruto the excuse sounded uninspired.

He grunted in apparent humor. "You think I don't know who you are orange wonder? Naruto, bane of all shopkeepers and, apparently, cabbage farmers."

Naruto crossed him arms in defiance, "Well maybe if they hadn't charged me such insane prices they wouldn't have needed an attitude adjustment. It's not my fault they don't like me."

He raised himself up from his slouched over the counter position with a groan. "Well, I doubt all the shenanigans were any help with that decision boy. I've never seen you set foot in my shop before though, so don't get any ideas about me got it?"

"Well to be honest I never really knew what you sold in here hehe…although with the name it should have been obvious I guess…" Naruto mumbled the second part of the sentence to himself.

The unnamed man tilted his head at Narutos headband. He knew of the boys past failures at the academy, other shopkeepers loved to lord it over him that he failed as he did. "My name is Zizen boy. Zizen Hildin. Where'd ya get the headband eh? I thought you failed that academy test again."

Naruto proudly grasped his headband and exclaimed, "Well jokes on you Zizen cause I passed actually!" He pointed at the older man and then gave a thumbs up.

Zizen laughed heartily, "Well good for you orange wonder! I figured you'd pass eventually. Ya got a fire in your belly that rages like an inferno kid. Congratulations."

Naruto was shell-shocked, no shopkeeper had openly congratulated him on…well anything! Usually they would chase him out of their stores or keep him in just long enough to pay a huge sum of money. He smiled, "Thanks old man, one more step on the road to me being Hokage! Believe it!"

Zizen smirked. "Still don't look tough at all though. Although I suppose your sensei is gonna fix that right up."

Naruto frowned. "Well my team passed the stupid Jonin test thing…but he said that we wouldn't have any official training or anything for two weeks first! I bet Sasuke's getting loads of training…" he grumbled.

"Bah! The Uchiha kid? He was a stick so far up his ass the first Hokage couldn't remove it haha!" Zizen brought his hand to his chin as he thought. "Ya know kid, if training is what you want I might be able to help…"

Narutos eyes shone, an adult who was nice and was willing to train him?! It was unprecedented. "Woah! Would you really train me old man?"

The 'old man' slapped the table in response, "Maybe if you'd stop referring to me as old man boy! I'm only forty five for crying out loud!" he wailed.

Naruto bowed and apologized. "Sorry sorry! Jeez. How are you gonna train me though Zizen-san?"

"I may not look it now, but I used to be a ninja kid, just like you are now." He sized the boy up. "Well I wasn't quite as dumb looking anyway…"

The excited boy ignored the last comment, after all this man apparently used to be a ninja! He wondered if he knew any cool techniques. "What could ya teach me Zizen-sensei!?"

The older man laughed, "Excited aren't you? Well," he reached under his counter to take out a katana in its scabbard, "The wonderful art of swords of course!"

Naruto deadpanned. Swords? What use where swords when you could learn a huge and cool jutsu like Sasukes fire ball? "Oy, don't you know any cool moves or anything? I mean a sword is neat and all but I'd rather be able to shoot fire or something ya know?"

Zizens eye twitched, "Boy, a sword is possibly the finest art a man can learn!" he thundered. "Now you be here tomorrow at eight am sharp for your lessons, YA GOT THAT!?"

Naruto cowered in fear and replied, "Yes Zizen-sensei!"

What had he gotten himself into?

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_**Thoughts? Opinions? I'm just getting' started.**_


	2. Chapter 2- A blade to call his own

The Orange Blade

**Chapter 2, comin at ya. Two so soon? Don't get used to it haha, just having fun writing again after so long.**

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Sweat poured off of Narutos body. He had begun his training with his new sensei Zizen. Lacking a shirt, due to the copious amounts of sweat, he slaved over his forms. Given a wooden training sword by his master to practice with, he was forced to constantly drill every single movement his new style entailed.

A wooden training sword identical to Narutos slapped viciously against the back of his right leg. "Wrong again boy, loosen up your stance more. If you aren't going to do this right don't bother doing it at all." His new sensei was truly a kind soul.

Naruto gritted his teeth and obeyed Zizens orders, and continued to practice his downward sword swing. Over and over again. It had been like this for the past week and a half. Zizen looked on at his new wards progress with pride. He would never tell the boy such, but he had progressed much in this short time in the way of the sword.

"Alright boy, you've done well today, time to stop and get something to eat." Naruto sighed in contentment and dropped his training sword, falling flat onto his back. Zizen smirked, "You've made decent progress for such a little brat. As a reward your generous sensei will take you to that ramen place you like."

Naruto immediately jumped up from the ground and whooped in joy, ramen was his favorite past time.

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Zizen sat in stunned silence as his student shoveled bowl after bowl of noodles into his mouth. 'I have to pay for this now too…' he grumbled.

After draining his fourth bowl of its beefy contents he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and sighed in contentment. He turned to his sensei, "Hey Zizen-sensei you said that you were a ninja before yea? What made you stop?" Naruto queried. 'After all jiji must be as old as dirt and he's still a ninja.'

His master patted the young boy on the head like a child, "That orange wonder is a short and sad story. What do you know of the Third Shinobi War boy?"

Naruto brought his hand to cup his chin as he thought. He had never really been too interested in history lessons at the academy, after all what was history to a cool jutsu? "Eh, I guess I don't know Sensei."

Zizen sighed in exasperation, the boy was an idiot. "Our lands were in turmoil, and political climates were quickly degrading. Most of the fighting was between Konoha and Iwa, the village hidden in the rock."

Naruto nodded his head confident that if his Sensei was explaining anything to him it must have been of some importance.

"During the war I fought against many Iwa ninja, and triumphed against every one. My shop is known as 'The Red Blade' and it was named after me. Iwa decided to name me that after I took my red sword to them." Zizen closed his eyes in thought.

He continued, "Eventually towards the end of the war Konoha started to edge ahead. It all came to a head when the Yondaime Hokage stepped in, although back then he was just a Jonin if a strong one. That battle earned him the nickname The Yellow Flash, and he decimated those Iwa bastards with his technique."

Naruto was in awe, as the Yondaime was his personal idol. He strove to one day be stronger than that man in particular. "I bet it was a huge jutsu right!?" he exclaimed.

Zizen shook his head in the negative. "No boy. It was an ideal ninja technique, one based on speed so great it was said that every enemy he felled died within a heartbeat of each other. Hiraishin no Jutsu, an unbelievable move. Able to transport someone so fast it was for all intents and purposes instant."

With stars of learning this fantastic Jutsu Naruto asked, "So where can I learn this super awesome Jutsu sensei?"

His sensei shook his head, "You cannot boy. The jutsu was performed by the Yondaime with special seals. No one knows how to do it, save for three of his personal guard that need to all work together to transport anything. It was lost along with him."

He finished his own bowl of pork ramen and paid for his and his students meals. "It was during that war, before the Yondaime struck his blow against the Iwa war machine, that I lost this." He pulled up his right pant leg to reveal a prosthetic limb made of metal. "I made it myself, but it's never been a good enough substitute for the real thing. This injury single handedly ended my ninja career Naruto."

Naruto blanched white at his senseis injury; it extended all the way to his mid-thigh and looked like it was extremely painful to live through. "So you had to stop fighting after that?"

Zizen nodded the affirmative. "The style of fighting I use, the same one I'm teaching you, relies on very fast feet movement to be effective. I had trained my whole life in that style of fighting and losing my leg meant the end of my ninja life."

His student looked downtrodden, he had just become a ninja and couldn't fathom having that taken away from you. He jumped in his seat when he felt his senseis large hand upon his shoulder. "Don't be down on my account boy! Come, let's return to my store. I have something to show you kid."

Naruto nodded quickly, he had long since learned anything his sensei deemed appropriate to show him either amazed or strengthened him.

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After returning to his senseis shop Naruto stood at the stairs leading up to Zizens personal quarters, as he lived above his shop. He strode down the steps with a long rectangular box in hand which looked like it needed a good dusting. Only now that Naruto knew of his prosthetic did he notice that his sensei seemed to strain when he walked.

Zizen gestured with his hand for Naruto to come closer as he laid the box out on his counter and dusted it off with his hand. "I'm about to show you something very special to me Naruto, the blade that my father left me. The blade that earned me my nickname and adorns my shops sign.

He carefully lifted the lid off the box to reveal a thin layer of red paper, almost see through. Zizen unfolded the paper while Naruto watched entranced while his sensei pulled out a sword the likes of which he had never seen.

The grey scabbard was square in shape rather than shaped like a blade would be, and was adorned with many seals near its opening. It had a strange mechanical device centered on its back which looked like it could move; ending in a sort of hook that Naruto imagined held the scabbard to the body.

The swords handle was a black metal etched with Naruto assumed were more seal, with a plain grey iron guard with four holes punched into each respective corner. He watched as his master drew the blade and his jaw dropped. It was blood red and looked vicious, like it could cut through anything it wanted. It had the appearance of a slightly longer than normal katana with a lengthened grip for use with two hands.

Naruto surmised it was about thirty two inches in length, eight for the grip and twenty four fot he actual blade. It looked much too long for someone of Narutos short size to wield.

"This is the blade my father passed on to me boy, the blade which earned me my nickname. Its specially treated to be nigh unbreakable and still be able to channel chakra into its edge. This gives it a rather special quality." Zizen suddenly swung the blade behind him towards an steel claymore hanging from a rack and watched Narutos jaw drop as his own blade sliced through it like nothing was there.

"How did you do that sensei!?" the impressed boy exclaimed. Zizen chuckled to himself as he stopped channeling his chakra through the blade.

"Tell me Naruto what do you know of elemental affinities?" he posed to his pupil.

Naruto wracked his brain for an answer, he KNEW he remembered this one and as a light bulb went off in his head he answered, "Every ninja has an affinity which gives them more control and power over a certain element right sensei?"

Zizen patted his students head with his free hand as Naruto beamed, "Yes that's right Naruto. My own elemental affinity is wind, and with much training I was able to learn to harness pure wind chakra and channel it into my blade to cleave through anything at all."

Naruto nodded sagely. "Can I do that eventually sensei?" Dreams of slicing huge Konoha trees to wow his female teammate and put the Uchiha in his place danced in his head.

"That is something you'll have to bring up to your Jonin sensei Naruto, I'm no good at teaching ninja skills only swordplay." He carefully sheathed the blade and placed it back into the box it came from. Closing it back up he mused, 'That's the first time I've swung that blade in about twelve years. '

It was time to dismiss his student for the day, and Zizen didn't know if he would see the young boy again after this. He had taught him all the basic tenants of his Razor Edge style of kenjutsu. It was time for his Jonin sensei to teach the boy about other ninja skills such as chakra control.

"It's time for you to go now Naruto; I've taught you all I need to. You'll have to further refine the style as you see fit so it will suit your personal tastes. I hope I've taught you well."

Naruto smiled and moved to hug the man, to his surprise. "Thank you Zizen-sensei, you've taught me a lot and made me really strong. I hope Kakashi-sensei is as good a teacher as you…"

Zizen patted the boys head thoughtfully. "I have one more surprise Naruto." He detangled the brash boy from his hug and walked behind his musty counter. Reaching underneath he grasped the same blade he had shown Naruto when he first entered his shop.

He gently placed the weapon into Narutos shocked hand. "This is for you boy, think of it as a graduation present if you will."

Naruto took the offered weapon and slowly drew it. It was a pristine katana, one that he was sure his sensei had forged specifically for him. Its blade was tempered black, a must for a ninja. The grip was a simple black leather wrapped wood and the guard was of a deep black itself.

Tears welled up in Narutos eyes as he gazed upon the gift he had received. He didn't know what to say so he wiped his tears and muttered a thank you as he ran out of the store to head home.

Zizen looked on at the boys retreating form. "Poor kid may have never received a gift before. I will honor the Yondaimes sacrifice Naruto, I hope you'll use what I have taught you to great effect."

The tired man shuffled over to the chair behind his counter after turning the open sign to 'closed'. He collapsed into the chair and produced a jug of sake and a saucer. The boy reminded him of himself at that age. Brash and full of spunk, ready to prove themselves to the entire world if need be.

They were both shunned, one for being a jailor and the other for the sins of his father. It was true that Zizen had indeed received the blade from his father, but the man was not around to give it. He pilfered it from the mans grave after his mother died when he was seven. The man that abandoned his mother and gotten killed the month before she was to give birth didn't deserve to continue into the afterlife with such a good weapon.

The mans father had treated the blade to be blue, and to spite him his son turned it red instead. His only teachers were his father's scrolls left behind in their empty home.

In Naruto he saw a boy abandoned by his father, under a nobler pretext. He didn't fault the Yondaime for saving the village, but at what cost? He gulped down two saucers of the alcohol. In that boy was his legacy.

'That boy is perhaps the son I was fated to never have.' He threw the saucer to the floor and drank heartily of the jug as he dragged himself upstairs to his bed. He hated his life as a pitiful shop owner, where he was once a dangerous warrior. His mind was made up, the boy would continue his legacy.

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Naruto stood at the training ground early, excited to begin his ninja career. He still wore his bright orange outfit. His newly acquired sword was stowed safely in a storage scroll in his waist pouch; he didn't want to dirty it before a mission.

Even Sasukes greeting of 'Good morning dobe' and Sakuras subsequent squeal of delight could not dampen the orange boys' spirit. Nor could his Jonin senseis lateness going on two hours. After finally arriving two full hours late and being chastised by Sakura for his tardiness and lame excuse he revealed their first mission to them.

Narutos heart thumped loudly in his chest as he edged closer to the scroll his sensei was presenting to them all. His mind buzzed with quests full of danger and action where he could prove his sword skills to his sensei.

After the realization that their first mission was weeding an older womans garden, his spirit finally diminished.

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_**Second chapter done. I'll be looking to update once a week at a minimum, so expect them emails.**_

_**Next chapter, exciting D ranks and mayhap a Wave arc? We shall see. The encouragement from reviews of the first chapter already has me in a tizzy.**_


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